UFCW Local 1500 Members Are Going To Light The Night!

New York's Largest Grocery Workers Union to Walk to Cure Cancer

WESTBURY, NY (08/10/2016)(readMedia)-- The Long Island Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) today announced that employees from UFCW Local 1500 have formed a team that will participate in this fall's Light The Night® Walk, raising money to find cures and provide access to treatments for blood cancer patients.

In the lead-up to Light The Night, friends, families and co-workers form fundraising teams and millions of consumers help by donating at retail outlets. These efforts culminate in inspirational, memorable evening walks in nearly 200 communities across North America each fall. Participants carry illuminated lanterns – white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. Anyone big, small, young or old can shine a light on the importance of finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients.

"We are grateful to the companies and employees who are lending their support to this year's Walk," said Sara Lipsky, Executive Director of the Long Island Chapter of LLS. "LLS's Light The Night Walk funds treatments that are saving the lives of patients today. LLS is accelerating cures by providing patient support services, advocacy for lifesaving treatments and the most promising cancer research anywhere. And it's all happening now."

"Our union has long believed in giving back to our community," Tony Speelman, President of UFCW Local 1500 said. "It's the fabric of our union. We have been partnering with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society for decades and we cannot wait to light the night this year!"

This year, Walk will be held on Saturday, October 15th at Eisenhower Park.

LLS is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to finding cures for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood cancers. Through its efforts it has invested more than $1 billion in cutting-edge research to advance therapies. Thanks to research, survival rates for patients with many blood cancers have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled since the early 1960s. Yet, despite these advances, about one third of patients with blood cancer still do not survive even five years after their diagnosis.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.